Various types of sinks, lavatories, wash areas, and fluid disposal areas are used in hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, pharmacies, and laboratories, where bacteria and viruses are plentiful. The sink and wash areas provide staff and other individuals with a location to wash their hands and various types of equipment. Such areas also provide a location where various liquids, which may be contaminated with bacteria or viruses, are disposed. However, as the hands and equipment are washed in the sink, bacteria and viruses are transferred from the hands and equipment into the water, which flows into the sink. The contaminated water splashes into the sink basin, swirls around the basin, and flows into a drain. This turbulent fluid activity can aerosolize bacteria, viruses, and other biological contaminants from the water.
Inside the drain, the contaminated liquids sit within a drain trap. As it sits in the trap, the viruses and bacteria are allowed to multiply within the plumbing, regardless of how well the sink basin is cleaned. Gasses that occasionally bubble through the sink drain trap carry the bacteria and viruses up from the plumbing and into the basin or otherwise become airborne. Moreover, fluids that drain from the sink, into the trap, agitate the contaminated fluid and further aerosolize the biological contaminants.
The airborne biological contaminants pose health risks to those in a significant area surrounding the sink. Oftentimes, individuals surrounding the sink in hospitals are immunocompromised, making them more likely to become ill as a result of the airborne contaminants. Similarly, pharmaceutical products in pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and pharmacies can be easily contaminated by the airborne biological contaminants, requiring the disposal of the pharmaceutical products. Such product losses cause significant financial loss annually.